Folding chair interchangeable for use as chair or back support



J. A. BELL. FOLDING CHAIR INTERCHANGEABLE FOR USE AS CHAIR 0R BACKSUPPORT. APPLICATION HLED JUNE 29. 1921.

1,409,81 6. Patented Mar-14, 1922.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

FOLDING CHAIR INTERCHANGEABLE non USE AS CHAIR on BACK-SUPPORT.

Application filed June 29,

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that JAMES ARTHUR BELL, a

I subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Eddington Street,North Rockhanipton, State of Queensland, Commonwealth of Australia, hasinvented certain new and useful Improvements in FoldingChairsInterchangeable for Use as Chairs or Back Supports, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to a folding chair which can be used assuch, or can be altered when required to use as a legless chair such asforplacing on forms or benches to constitute a back support. A specialfeature in the present invention is that the parts are constructed andadjusted so that the article can be used with or without legs at option.It is also readily portable and can be folded up in very small space. Inits normal state thearticle made according to the present invention is acomplete chair. To use as a back support on any form or in any fiatsituation it is only necessary to throw the legs back or to take themoff.

The invention comprises a portable folding chair composed of metal sideplates and cross plate and metal bent rods and a textile or otherflexible seat and back also adapted to have parts adjusted ortemporarily removed whereby the seat and back may be employed on a benchor on a fiat surface.

In order-to explain clearly the invention and how it is constructed,reference will be made to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a general view' of the invention;

Figure 2 shows the complete chair folded;

Fi ire 3 is a side view of member D show- 111 disengaged for folding;

igures 4. to 8 illustrate different members detached.

The chair is constituted by seven parts of metal and one part of textileor other flexible material. It is supported upon two spreading orfoldable foot parts A B. These are engageable with two flat plates C Dapproximately vertical or sloping slightly backwards. The latter engagea ain with a cross plate E. The plates E and C D are adapted to carry orengage with a seat frame G, and back frame H. All these parts are madein proportionate relative sizes either for ordinary or larger or smallerchairs.

There are no screws or detachable parts other than the above. The mannerof fixture Specification of Letters Patent.

, Patented. Mar. 14, 1922.

1921. Serial No. 481,296.

and operation of the relative members is as foll.owsThe feet A B restagainst or upon the longer back and front portions and are preventedfrom spreading by the bent ends J K, which form a stop one against theother. I

The seat frame G has its Sides bent upwardly as at L H and bent inwardsat N O. The parts N 0 pass through holes R provided for the purpose in CD and E.

The back frame is arranged to rest at approximately a right angle to theplane of seat frame, but inclining slightly backwards. The ends of theback frame are bent outwards as at P and engage'in slot P in C and D.The result is that the ends of the seat frame and the back frame lockeach other.

Any suitable textile or flexible materials are used for the chair seat,for example woven w re may be adopted in which case the whole structureis uninflammable.

In order to use the chair as a back support or as on a bench or thelike, or in any flat situatlon, it is only necessary to throw the legsback or take them off, which mav be easily done and they can be replacedwheii required.

I claim 1. {X collapsible chair comprising in combination, a pair ofvertical supports, a U- shaped frame member having terminal portionsdisposed at substantially right angles to the leg portion thereof, aU-shaped cross member having its legs pivotally connected to saidterminal portions and said terminal portions also being pivotallyconnected to the vertical support, a second U-shaped frame member havingsimilar terminal por tions extending in opposite directions to theterminal portions of the first named U- shaped member, and also havingits terminal portions pivotally connected to the vertical supports andthe legs of the U-shaped cross member, said U-shaped frame members beingadapted to be folded and the terminal portions thereof adapted forlocking these frame members against unfolding movement beyond apredetermined degree, and a flexible sheeting connecting the bridgeportions of said U-shaped members.

2. A collapsible chair comprising a pair of vertical supports, aU-shaped frame member having terminal portions extendin at substantiallyright angles to the leg portions thereof, a cross member having its endspivotally connected to the terminal portions of said U-shaped framemember said terminal portions of the U-shaped frame member beingpivotally and detachably connected to the vertical supports, a secondU-shaped frame member having terminal portionssimilar to the first namedframe member but extending in opposite :directions,

and said terminal portions being pivot-ally connected with the verticalsupports and adapted forenga-ging the leg portions of the first namedU-shaped member for lin'iiting the unfolding movement thereof, While theterminal portions of the first named U- shaped member are adapted forengaging the leg p'ortionslof the last named U-shaped' member forlimiting the unfolding move- 7 ment thereof, and a flexible stripconnecting members.

3. .A-collaps ble chair frame, comprlsmg a the bridge portions ofsaidU-shaped frame pair of vertical supports, a U-shaped frame 7 memberhaving its terminal end portions bent inwardly-and the vertical supportshaving elongated slots through which the ter minal end portions of,the'U-shaped frame member extend, a U-shaped cross member extendingbetween the vertical supports and having its leg portions pivotallyconnected to the inwardly bent terminal end portions of the framemember, a second U-shaped frame member having its terminal end por-'

